The poor North-East monsoon and the Vardah cyclone are said to have affected the arrival of sea turtles in the coastal area of Nagapattinam although Forest Department has made all arrangements for collecting the eggs for their safe hatching.
The 154-km coastline in the district provides a favourable nesting habitat for Olive Ridley turtles which arrive here from December to March. “To our disappointment, the arrival of sea turtles has been delayed. The movement of sea turtles has been disturbed by the high tides and rough sea,” explained officials. The district administration had made all arrangements even a month ago anticipating the arrival of sea-turtle. It had advised the fishermen to set up Turtle Excluder Devices. The administration had also advised the fishermen to let the captured turtles back into the sea.
The entire coastline where the movement of sea-turtle is noticed, had been kept clean free from any garbage of sea waste. They have also been asked to keep dogs away from the coastal villages. “Dogs immediately sniff the smell of the eggs to be eaten away,” the source said. The Department has hatching centres at three places -- Kottagaimedu near Sirkali, Koolaiar and Vanagiri. While the first two units can hatch 1,000 eggs, the one at Vanagiri has a maximum capacity of hatching 10,000 eggs.
